On a world racked by war, only one small island nation stands unconquered. The Warlord Todosi leads his troops to victory in a great and perhaps final battle, only to be betrayed by the gods. His brother, a monk, vows vengeance before assuming Todosis station as the new Warlord of Nayado. He must become a leader of armies, defending a land whose traditions he is coming to distrust. The Path is a new take on the samurai tale, a staple of Japanese entertainment with a growing audience here in the West. In addition to all the action and dynamic artwork that typifies the genre, we have the struggle of one man walking the thin line between honor and duty. Set on an exotic world akin to feudal Japan, The Path tells the story of a man stripped of his faith in not only the gods to whom he prays, but the emperor he is honor-bound to serve. Filled with samurai action and panorama, The Path tells the story of one man's journey and an entire nation's fate. When the monk Obo-san witnesses the death of his brother at the hands of the gods, he swears to have his vengeance by using the gods` own Weapon of Heaven against them. Meanwhile, the emperor teeters on the brink of madness and threatens to lead the nation to ruin. Torn between duty and destiny, Obo-san defies the Emperor and finds himself a wanted man, and not even the all-powerful weapon he possesses can save him. Aficionados of the masterful Lone Wolf and Cub series and the samurai epics of Akira Kurosawa will want to walk The Path.

Product Description

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School-This graphic novel collects the prequel and first six issues of the ongoing comics series "The Path." Combining superhero sensibilities with a Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon aesthetic results in a compelling, at times beautiful work that will have no trouble finding readership. The characters and plot can be complex, and the work is best suited to older teens. The title refers to Obo-San, a monk who lost his faith when he witnessed the murder of his brother at the hands of capricious and cruel beings that he believes were the gods he once honored. Armed with a mystical weapon, and backed by two unusual martial-arts experts, Obo-San rebels against a supernaturally controlled monarchy in an epic battle for justice. The artwork is both bold and subdued, relying on heavy black lines, muted earth tones, and dramatic layout. At times, it resembles an elaborate patchwork of panels, while elsewhere it flows powerfully across both pages. In a concluding interview, Sears makes no bones about his artistic inspirations for "The Path": Frank Miller, creator of the "Sin City" books (Dark Horse) and The Dark Knight Returns (DC Comics, 1997); and Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima's influential martial-arts saga, "Lone Wolf and Cub" (Dark Horse). While it doesn't quite measure up to Miller's revolutionary oeuvre, and lacks the stark purity of "Lone Wolf," the compelling darkness (both literal and metaphoric) of this work bears the stamp of its progenitors.Douglas P. Davey, Guelph Public Library, Ontario, CanadaCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Most helpful customer reviews

As of late, I've developed a tremendous respect for the tales of the samurai, and THE PATH: CRISIS OF FAITH (a first volume of a possible series of trade paperback compilations of the comic book) is a wonderful example of the principle reasons why.(1) The warriors have a code to follow. Much like Zatoichi from the cult series of films, the samurai pledge their loyalty to one another -- not so much to a leader -- and the warrior allows that pledge to influence his (or her) every action.(2) The warriors stay true to their 'paths.' Once they've started down the road toward where their actions will inevitably deliver them, they do not stray from the straight and narrow. It is the quest, not the destination, that compels the warrior -- and, in this case, the reader -- onward.(3) Their stories are told with several layers of complexity that is gradually shaved away by the warrior's choices. One could make a strong argument that -- while they may be seven universal stories in the world -- there is only one samurai story, and it will play out as dictated by the choice of the hero.That said, THE PATH presents us with Obo-san, a warrior fallen from the grace of his emperor due to his allegiance to an oath to protect "the weapon of Heaven" from falling into the hands of the wrong men. His traveling colleagues make the most of pledges to fight with Obo-san against the forces of darkness, most of which only make passing appearances in this first installment.If CRISIS OF FAITH has any weakness, then it is that the tale is far from over at the conclusion of this outing. The story is told at a wonderful pace, with incredibly inventive visuals and dialogue that rings true to other samurai works, and it is an incredibly rewarding experience despite its lack of a real climax.Discover the new wave of graphic novels before they're gone from the bookshelves!

The Path- Crisis of Faith has been the first book I have read so far from the Crossgen universe. A samurai story is what motivated me to pick up and buy this book not being familiar with the artists or the writer before. But from the little knowledge I have about comics and comic art, it is delightful to see art work here that is a pleasant deviation from usual western comic art work. There are images within this book that seem inspired from Japanese comic art - especially the images of raindrops creating ripples on puddles of water distorting reflections. The comic script is also very intriguing. Feudal Japan has invoked strong visions among many artists and writers, as is also evident in The Path. Clearly, this factor is responsible for setting the tone for a wonderful manner of storytelling.The story of Obo San, and his companions - each bound by their honor and the decisions that they have made in the face of difficult choices, makes for a very intriguing story indeed. Even more intriguing is the treachery and the conniving that exists behind the facade of honor within the nobility. And as Obo San suspects, possibly within the realms of the Gods themselves. Obo San and his companions search for answers and truth behind that facade, despite the fact that they have incurred the wrath of their mysterious Emperor, and imminent war threatens their people. Whether the path they have chosen leads them to truth and discovery, or death, it promises to be a very eventful journey.Also eventful is the comic book itself. And I use the term comic here strictly in ways only a comic book reader would understand. If anything, 'The Path' only illustrates how the medium has grown far beyond the irrelevance of being called comic. 'The Path' will leave you wanting for more about this strange journey. A superbly crafted journey that won't disappoint anyone.

If you're even reading this review you probably already read comics. This is one of the most interesting approaches out there. Sears and the rest of the art team are creating a new language for graphic storytelling here. Most comics (at least Western comics with which I am familiar) try to trick the reader into forgetting that he's observing a series of static images. The Path revels in this -- most pages are constructed around a single central image or event which may be depicted in multiple ways, and time does not necessarily progress across the page from left to right. Other pages might be constructed of a dozen tiny panels, none of which make much sense individually but which, when taken as a whole, give the reader an almost visceral insight into the chaos going on in the characters' lives. The book simply presents these images and the reader fills in the intersticies. This allows the story to bypass all the analytical tricks readers have developed to help them understand "what's going on"; instead, the story aims its way directly into your head. The excellent and surprising script by Ron Marz complements this presentation, and the static graphic presentation is echoed in the stubborness of the each of the characters.Some may worry that a reader of "The Path" will miss out if he doesn't get all of the other CrossGen books. While I recommend each of them as worth at least sampling, "The Path" is totally different than any of the others (even the Marz-written Scion and Sojourn) and stands on its own. Yes, the main character of "The Path" is marked with a sigil, a mysterious symbol which gives the bearer great power, just like characters in other CrossGen books, but that's really all you need to know about those other titles.Read more ›